Bridge for stringed musical instruments



Mar. 27, 1923. 1,449,777.

' E. w. PLATE.

BRIDGE FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. FILED "AR-16,192!- fur I v flii'orney.

Patented Mar. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNST WALTER PLATE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Application filed March 16, 1921. Serial No. 452,671.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Ennsr W. PLATE, a v citizen of the United States, residing at I Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and.State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bridges for Stringed Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in bridges for stringed musical instruments, and has for its object to-so construct such a bridge that it will'scientilically convey the sound vibrations transmitted to it from the strings of the instrument to four points from whence said vibrations are in turn transmitted to the belly of the instrument.

A further object of my invention is to provide a pendulum-like tongue for amplifying the vibrations or tone.

A further object of my invention is to provide a bridge having a tongue produced from the central portion thereof and integral therewithand having a screw passing 2 through a hole in said bridge and having threaded connection with the tongue whereby screwing said screw in or out will vary the flexing or vibratory action of said tongue.

A still further object of my invention is to provide vibratory ears for further amphfying the tone. I

With these ends in View, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, may un derstand how to make and use the same, I willdescribe its construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, in which Fig. 1, is an'elevation of a bridge made in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2, is a central vertical section of Fig. 1.

In carrying out my invention as here like tongue 10 which latter is left united to embodied, 1 represents the bridge as a whole which is in general outline of usual shape.

2 represents the primary feet, having the bottom edges of such contour as to fit the contour of the belly of the instrument upon which they are to stand, while 3 are the secondary feet connected with and in effect resting upon the extensions 1 of the primary feet. This effect is produced by the cutout portions 5 and the cutaway portion 6.

7 are the primary legs with which the feet 4 are formed while 8 are the secondary legs with which the feet 3 are formed, the cut-out scroll 9 forming the inner edges of said legs, and also forming the pendulum the bridge only at the point or base 11. The tip or lower end of this tongue has threaded'therein the screw 12, which latter extends through the hole 13 formed vertically through the section 14 and said screw carries ball 15 below said section. The effect of this construction gives to the tongue greater length and the body of the'screw will limit the extent to which the tongue may be flexed, thus protecting it against 7 breakage, since if undue pressure is put upon the tongue the body of the screw contacting withthe wall of the hole '13 will assist in sustaining this pressure. By threadin the screw inward the tongue will be stiffened whereas if backed out the tongue will have greater freedom for vibration.

16 represent cars which are formed by the cut-out scrolls 17 and these ears are of such proportion and shape as to be capable S5 of relatively free vibration and these ears serve as additional tone amplifying members. The cut-out scrolls 17 also form the outer edges of the upper portions of the primary'legs 7. p

The notches in the upper edge of the bridge designated A, D, G, C are for seating the strings of the instrument, the letters corresponding to the musical quality of said strin s, it being understood that any numas her 0 strings may be provided for in adapting the bridge to different musical instruments.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that sound vibrations emanating from the inner strings seated at I) and G will be conveyed mainly to the inner feet 8, while those emanating from the outer strings seated at A and C will be conveyed mainly to the outer feet 4i and there blended and transmitted to the belly of the instrument, giving'life and quality to the music.

In practice it has been found that the vibratory tongue amplifies the vibrations transmitted to the bridge and greatly enhances the volume and tone of theinstrument.

The vibratory quality of the tongue may be modified bychanging the position of the balll5 relative to the tongue by threading the screw in or out, thus shortening or lengthening the pendulum effect of said tongue. 7

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction as herein shown asthese maybe varied within the limits of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is 1. A bridge of the character described, comprising two primary legs, a foot formed With each of said legs, each foot having an v extension, two secondary legs, and a foot formed with each of the last named legs,

saidlastnamed feet being united with said extensions and overlying the same.

In abridge of the character described,

a two prima'rylegs, feet formed with said legs, extensions formed with said feet, two secondary legs leading from the primary legs, a foot formed with each of the secondary Ilegs, each of said last named feet being united with each of said extensions, and a vibratory tongue united to the bridge by a contracted ,base.

3; In a bridge of the character described, two primary legs, feet formed with said legs,-extensions formed with said feet, two

fsecondarylegs leading from the primary legs, a foot formed with each of the secondarylegs, each of said last named feet being united with each of said extensions, a

, vibratory tongue united tothebridge by a contracted base, and means for limiting the flexing of said tongue.

4. In a bridge of the character described,

two primary legs, feet i formed with said legs, extensions formed with said feet, two secondary legs leading from. the primary legs, a footv formed with each of the secondary legs, each of said last named feet being united with each of said extensions, a vibratory tongue united to the bridge by a contracted base,. means for limiting the flexing ofsaid tongue, and a weightdepending from the tongue.

5. In a bridge of the character described,

two primary legs, feet formed with said legs, extensions formed with said feet, two secondary legs leading from the primary legs, a foot formed with each of the secondary legs, each of said last named feet being united with each of said extensions, a vibratory tongue united to the bridge by a contracted base, a section located beneath the tongue having a vertical hole therethrough, a screw extending loosely through said hole and threaded into the tongue, and a weight carried by the lower end of said screw.

6. In a bridge of the character described, two primary legs, feet formed with said legs, extensions formed with said feet, two secondary legs leading from the primary legs, a foot formed with each of the secondary legs, each of said last named feet being united with each of saidextensions, a vibratory tongue united to the bridgeiby a contracted base, and vibratory ears formed from the bridge.

7. A bridge for supporting the strings of a musical instrument, a vibratory tongue formed with said bridge, and means for limiting the flexing of said tongue.

. edge thereof.

10. A bridge for supporting the strings of a musical instrument, a vibratorypendulum' like tongue located in the vertical center thereofand unitedto the bridge only at the upper end ofsaid tongue, said tongue being of greater length than one-half of the heighth of the bridge.

11. A string supporting bridge having primary feet adapted to stand upon the belly of a musical instrument, extensiohs formed with said feet at theirlowermost extremities and secondary feet formed with the bridge and directly united with the extensions at the bottom of the primary feet.

12. A bridge having feet adapted to contact with the belly of a musical instrument,

a tongue produced from the body of thew flexing thereof, and a weight at the lower end of said means.

14. A bridge including a body, feet formed therewith for contact with the belly 5 of a musical instrument, an integral tongue formed with said body and normally lying in the same plane as said body, a screw passing through a hole in a portion of said body and'having threaded connection with the free end of the tongue whereby said screw may be adjusted relative to the tongue for changing the Vibratory action thereof, and a ball on the lower end of said screw.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my "signature.

ERNST WALTER PLATE. 

